Last thimble and method of making same



E. M. FULLERTON 1,742,761

LAST THIMBLE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed June 5, 1928 iv 6 ii $01 m Patented Jan. 7, 1930 ERNEST It. FULLERTON, or STOUGHTON, MASsAcHUSnTTS LAST THIMBLE AND METHOD MAKING' SAME Application filed June 5, 1928. Serial Il'o. 283,061,

My present invention relates to thimbles for use in lasts which'are utilized in the manufacture of boots and Shoes, and includes a novel method of manufacturing such thimibles.

My present invention is applicable to existing lasts, and is equally important andvaluable hinge lasts, block lasts, or other types of lasts, and is directed particularly to the thimble construction.

Shoe lasts are necessarily made with a tubular metallic thimble adapted to be fitted in a recess bored in the heel portion, On this thimble the last and the shoe made thereon may be jacked during the many and various processes carried out in shoe manufacture. These various operations require that the last he fitted on a jack, said jack having a spindle over which the thimble is fitted. 0 During the successive Shoe manufacturing operations, saidlast and the thimblefitted therein are subjected to great pressure, hamr meri n g, tension and the like, and cons1derable stresses and strains are transmitted through the thimble and the heel portion of the last during such manufacturing operations.

laying, and other operations, the wood of the last is subjected tostrains and stresses which often loosen the thimble from the last. Furthermore,jthe continual tempering and drying of the shoe leather imparts an alternate moistenin g and drying action on the wood of the last which of necessity gives and takes somewhat in the drying, which still further tends to loosen the thimble from the last. Once the thimble has become loose, it is very apt to drop out when the last and shoe are inverted beforeapplication of the sarn'e toajackr K An important objectof the present inven-- tion, therefore, isthe provision of a thimble for shoe lasts which will obviatethe above and other prior dilficulties.

A further object of the invention resides in the fact that when once driven into the bored recess'in the heel portion, my novel thimble becomes substantially an integral part of the last, being immovable, either longitudinally of said recess, or in a rotary di- Thus, in heel nailing,leveling, sole.

rection. My novelthimble, therefore, when once inserted, will remain in the last recess as long as the last is being utilized, with no likelihood of dropping out or' becoming oose.

A further object of theinvention is to provide a last thimble'which will be economicalto manufacture, simple to make, will be simple of application to a last, will be strong, rugged and sturdy, and possessed of long life because of these severaladvantages.

- My present novel last thimble will also act as a reinforcing and strengthening element for the heel portion of a last, which feature is of great advantage where-thin cones are utilized on the lasts.

The above and other obj ects of thepresent invention, details of construction and advantages, will be hereinafter more fully pointed out, described and claimed. 7

Referring to the drawings, illustrating preferred embodiments of my invention, 7 I

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my novel thimble at one stage of manufacture;

Fig. 2 is a sectional sideielevation illustrating one method of forming the flange on the open end of the thimble;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the completed thimble manufactured in accordance with my present invention; i

Fig. 4"s a cross-sectional view of the heel portion of a last illustrating my novel thimble in position, said thimble being also shown in cross-section;

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of a modified form of thimble;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a still further modification;

Fig. 7 isa perspective view of another modification; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective View of a further form of last thimble constructed according tormy invention. r

Referring now to thedrawings, for a particular description of theinvention, and the method of its manufacture, I preferably form my novel thimble from solid stock, drilling or boring, in the thimble 1, a recess 2 adapted to fit over the spindle of a last jack. In the form illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, I

' ried completely to the open end of the thimble, when the flange 4 is formed or turned over, it will have a toothed portion 6 on its underside. Thus my novel thimble will be provided with the two angularly disposed toothed surfaces or portions 3 and 6. Therefore, when my novel thimble is driven into the recess 7 in the heel portionof a last 8, the toothed portion 3 will fasten itself very securely into the wood of the last while at the same time the toothed surface 6 on the under side of the flange i will firmly grip the wood,

leather, or fiber top of the last adjacent to the recess 7. The thimble will thus be permanently affixed to the last, the toothed portions 3 and 6 being firmly embedded and enmeshed with the wood of the last.

I can form the toothed portion 3 at any desired moment during the process of manufacture, either simultaneously with the drilling of the recess 2, or thereafter.

My present novel thimble presents many' advantages over existing. types oflast thimbles, many of which'require driving operations of such a nature as to split or injure the last. Although my novel thimble is simpler to apply to the last 8, its holding qualities when once inserted in the recess 7 will be far superior to those of existing last thimbles.

Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 illustrate slight modifications of my invention of last thimbles, Fig. 5 illustrating a thimble 9 having an enlarged toothed portion 10 adjacent to the open end thereof. This thimble 9 is a straight thimble and is manufactured withoutv any in some forms of lasts. In Fig. 6 the tl1imble 11 has an enlarged toothed portion 12 approximately midway of its ends, andin Fig. 7 the thimble 13 has an enlarged tooth portion 14 at its open end, and another enlarged toothed portion 15 at its closed end. Each of these forms of the invention is within the scope of my present invention, and'their advantages will be instantly apparent to those skilled in this art.

In Fig. 8 I have illustrated another modification of thimble, wherein the thimble 16 has a flange 17 around its open 'end, the underside 18 of. this flange being smooth, or plain,whi1e an enlarged toothed portion 19 is formed on the body of the thimble 16 closely adjacent to the flange 17. This type of thimble will also be found to be very advan tageous in many forms of lasts, and is also within the range of my present mvention.

I believe that my last thimbles, as illustrated in the present application, are novel, as well as the process of manufacturing same, and I have therefore claimed the same broadly herein.

While I have necessarily described my present invention somewhat in detail, it will be appreciated that I may vary the size, shape and arrangement of parts within reasonably wide limits without departing from the spirit of the invention.

My invention is further described and defined in'the form of claims as follows:

1. That improvement in the art of manufacturing. last thimbles which consists in drilling, in a bar of solid stock, arecess of predetermined depth, then providing, onthe outer surface of said thimble, a toothed por-r tion of greater diameter than the rest 0 said thimble.

5 2.. That improvement/in the art of manufacturing last thimbles which consists. in drilling,"in a bar .of solid stock, a recess of predetermined depth, then providing, on the outer'surface of said thimble, andadjacent to the openje'nd'thereof, atoothed portion of greater diamete'r than 'the'rest of said thimble, and then swaging the open end of.

facturing last thimbles which consists in" drilling, in a bar of solid s'tock,-a recess of predetermined depth, then providing,- on the outer surface of said thimble, and adjacent to the open endthereof, a toothed portion of greater diameter'than the rest of said thimble, and then swaging the open end of said thimble to provide a flange substantially perpendicular to theouter walls of said thimble, whereby the underside of said flange will be provided with a plurality of projecting teeth and thesurface of said thimble closely I adjacent to said flange will also .be provided with a plurality of projectin teeth.

4. As an article of manu acture, a last thimble, and a toothed surface substantially encircling said thimble throughout a predetermined distance, said toothed surface being normally of greater diameter thanthe rest of said thimble and adapted to mesh with and grip the wood of a last when driven therein.

5. As. an article of manufacture, a' last th mble, a flange around the open end of; sald th1mble, a plurality of projecting teeth on the under side of said flange, and a plurality of teeth substantially encircling said thimble fora predetermined distance closelyi adjacent to saidflange. 1 1

6. As an article of manufacture, a last thimble, and aplurality of toothed surfaces on said thimhle, said toothed surfaces being disposed at angles relatively to each other, one of said toothed portions being normally of greater diameter than the body of said thimble.

7 That improvement in the art of manufacturing last thimbles, which consists in drilling, in a bar of solid stock, a recess of predetermined depth, then providing on the 10 outer surface of said thimble, a toothed portion of greater diameter than the rest of said thimble, and then swaging the open end of said thimble to provide a flange substantially perpendicular to the outer Walls of said thimble.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ERNEST M. FULLERTON. 

